Will installing to a pen drive make me lose my OS and files?

[Lanuk]

Okay, so I am COMPLETELY new to Ubuntu or Linux or whatever. The reason what I am getting this is because my old laptop (windows 7) can't start because of a virus. I want to wipe the hard drive and all and want Linux to boot it off of (since the current OS will be gone).

To do this I planned on downloading Linux to my working computer and putting it on a flash drive. Some kind person gave me a link on how to do this: http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download

Another kind person told me if I did this it would get rid of the OS and files on my current system I plan on downloading to (which I do NOT want).

I also did not really understand one of the instructions in the link... it says to install Linux and then install this other software that will allow me to put Linux on my flash drive. How would this work? Do I just download linux, put it on my desktop, and have the flash drive program thing walk me through the rest?

I am not very tech savvy as you can see. So really what I want to do is put Linux on a flash drive and boot another laptop off of the flash drive. I have 1 broken computer that won't start due to a windows 7 virus and 1 computer that works that I want to use to get linux in my flash drive but do not want to lose my current OS or files on.

Help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

[Lanuk]

I really need help on this, it is urgent!

[KegHead]

Hi!

If you install a distro on a usb stick, it won't hurt any files on the host computer.

On my Dell test machine when i start it, I simply press "0" for options to run off a USB sick.

If you machine starts, you should be able to run off a usb stick, work with and learn and remove with no harm or fowl to your host computer.

KegHead

[wilee-nilee]

Download the live cd ISO, which is an image of Ubuntu compressed for install. Then download unetbootin, I personally believe it is an easier program for loading a thumb, there is a choice of a MS or Linux version your choice.
http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

With unetbootin you make sure it is reading the correct usb to install to, then click the ISO box and use the browse to link the ISO to the line to the right of the box. Hit install and reboot to a live Ubuntu desktop on what ever computer you want.

You can also just download a distro you want and install to the thumb at the same time with unetbootin, check out the dropdown, the distro may be there, I suggested loading the ISO as I suspect you have that already.

[C.S.Cameron]

You can extract usb-creator.exe from the Ubuntu Iso,(using winRAR).
This program will safely install Ubuntu Live to flash drive.
You can select "extra space" to make the install persistent,(save changes).

UNetbootin is a good second choice if you do not need persistence.

[Lanuk]

You can extract usb-creator.exe from the Ubuntu Iso,(using winRAR).
This program will safely install Ubuntu Live to flash drive.
You can select "extra space" to make the install persistent,(save changes).

UNetbootin is a good second choice if you do not need persistence.

Haha yes, eager to get on with all of this I googled it and found UNetbootin after a bit. I easily downloaded Ubuntu to my flash drive without downloading it on my computer, removed the flash dive, stuck it in my old computer, (it took a while for me to hit f2 at the right moment), opened up the BIOS thing, selected my flash drive, started my computer, it gave me the option to install Ubuntu so I wouldn't have to run it off the flash drive, and it is currently finishing loading as we speak! Thanks guys, this has the be the first time something has worked out better than expected for me. SOLVED!